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Previously known as Next Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA this is the fifth rhythm game in the Project DIVA franchise, and was released for the PlayStation Vita on August 30, 2012 and for the PlayStation 3 on March 7, 2013. Both versions have a slight change in title; the "f" is capitalized for the PS3 version, as opposed to the PlayStation Vita version's italicized and lower-case f.

On August 27, Hatsune Miku -Project DIVA- F was released in North America as both a downloadable package and a physical retail copy, and was the first game in Europe for download. A demo for the game was released on PlayStation Network on June 11. It is the first game in the franchise to be released in the west. The handheld version (Hatsune Miku -Project DIVA- f) was also released in North America on March 4, 2014, and was released in Europe on March 12, 2014. [1][2]

It is the first game in the franchise to be released on multiple platforms (Vita and PS3), and the first Project DIVA game to be released on the Vita. SEGA had also announced that all songs and modules would be completely new content.

Development for the game first began in 2011 before the previous game in the series, -Project DIVA- extend. The game is jointly developed by the development teams behind the PlayStation Portable (PSP) games in the series as well as the team behind the -Project DIVA- Arcade games. On Christmas Day 2011, SEGA released a teaser video on YouTube with footage of Hatsune Miku singing two different songs and the words "Coming 2012" at the end of the trailer. Later on April 9, 2012, Sega posted a teaser site online announcing that they would be revealing the next game in the Project DIVA series.

The game was officially revealed as a multiplatform game for both the PlayStation Vita and PlayStation 3, making the series' official debut on both platforms, not counting the Dreamy Theater softwares for the PS3 since they were not actual full games for the console. Development will be focused on the PlayStation Vita version first, then being shifted over to the PlayStation 3 at the later part of its development cycle, hence the Vita version being released earlier in 2012 and the PS3 version being released in 2013. In the Japanese magazine, Dengeki PlayStation, the release date for the Vita version was revealed to be August 30, 2012.

On May 22 it was announced that NEXT will have a "homepage renewal" held on May 24, 18:00 PM Japan's time. The site was updated completely along with a fixed title name (no longer -title project) which is 初音ミク -Project DIVA- f (Hatsune Miku -Project DIVA- f).

Information about Hatsune Miku: -Project DIVA- f's PS3 version was leaked on the website Famitsu. Instead of the PS Vita version's title, the "f" would be capitalized. Six new songs would be added, along with more modules to match them, and additional accessories. Because the scratch move and AR features are unique to the PS Vita, new mechanics were made to replace these . New modes were added to the game. Song completion data and edit mode data can now be shared through the PS Vita and PS3. Some of the features were originally planned to be put in the Vita version, but they weren't due to time constraints. However, they are looking into putting some of them up for download via DLC.

The game retains the same basic gameplay mechanics as the rest of the games from the Project DIVA series. However, it has several new changes. Such changes are:

A "Star" symbol was added to the games' existing cross, circle, square, triangle and arrow symbols. The symbol represents the new "Scratch" move in which players simply have to rub the screen instead of pressing the face buttons as usual. Also, the location on the screen where the players rub does not matter.

Chance Time is now ended with either a "Success" or "Fail", similar to the Technical Zone, but the criteria is different. There is a star gauge in place of the life gauge filling with successful note hits, which are either "COOL" or "FINE". It ends with a big ☆ note played just like a regular one. The note starts off grey, but it becomes golden and glows if the life gauge is full. Hitting the large golden ☆ note will mark the Chance Time as successful. Failing to hit the big ☆ note or hitting it without the Star Gauge full will fail Chance Time. If successful, it will boost up the Rank progress bar and proceed to the alternate ending.

A new mechanic called the "Technical Zone" will be added, in which, during a song, players can connect combos within the time limit and earn bonus points.

Like Dreamy Theater, there are improvements in the animations of the characters such as smoother movements for Miku's hair, Rin's bow, etc. The game also features improved facial expressions and lighting with real-time lighting computation being added to the game.

The HUD has been rebranded from the original Project DIVA games: The life gauge looks more futuristic and turns into a star when entering Chance Time when the life gauge will not be affected, the progress bar at the bottom shows the progression of the whole song with COOLs and FINEs. When you hit all notes without failing, the last note you hit will trigger a "PERFECT" popup before the Results screen.

The red COOL, dark blue FINE and dark green SAFE are back from the first -Project DIVA- game, though this time the letter arrangements are crooked. These ratings are displayed when hitting a note with the wrong button.

Each PV has 2 paths and both of them can be seen during Play mode and PV mode. The alternate ending can be accessed in-game by successfully clearing Chance Time as seen above.

Hitting COOL on the start of a Hold note is worth twice as much as normal.

Additional 200 points are awarded for every simultaneous press of both D-Pad and Action buttons whilst hitting a "W" arrow note.

Separate audio tracks are back from the first -Project DIVA-; If you fail a note, the vocals will disappear. The characters' lips will also close if you miss or miss-hit a note. "DYE" and "Nostalogic" are exceptions; the characters' lips close when you miss a note, while the vocals continue singing.

Trio songs are featured in -Project DIVA- f. Three characters can appear in a song. The only exception is the song "Continuation of Dreams", which has four characters at once in its PV; only one can be modified. The maximum for users of Edit Mode is three characters at once.

There are two types of character: VOCAL and Guest. The VOCAL is the one who sings the song and the guest is the one who is there just for appearance.

An Augmented Reality feature that displays a "Life-size" Miku or other characters in the real world as well as taking photos of it. You can change the figure size and different poses and expressions.

The new Augmented Reality feature allows to make AR "Live concerts" by displaying a "Life-size" character, dancing to one of four exclusive songs, which aren't playable in Rhythm Game Mode. Three of them are from the first -Project DIVA- game. The songs in this mode are not playable and are only available in AR mode in -Project DIVA- f

Live Stage/AR Live Mode have songs that are not playable (despite some of them having playable PVs) and are only available in Live Stage Mode in -Project DIVA- F.

This is the first Project DIVA game to feature a CERO:C Rating (Age 15 or more) because it contains little nudity (e.g if the player is using the MEIKO module called "Blue Crystal" in Nostalogic). This game has very similiar ratings with Dead or Alive: Dimensions on the Nintendo 3DS & Tekken Tag Tournament 2 on the PS3 and XBOX 360.

The game has also been appropriately been given the equivalent T rating in the American release for Mild Lyrics, Mild Violence, and Suggestive Themes. The handheld version has also been confirmed to receive the same rating, as it feature the songs and costumes that caused the T rating.

Also, as all the other games had been given ratings equivalent to the ESRB's E and E10+ ratings, this is the first game to receive a rating equivalent to the T rating.

The reason for this are as followed:

Mild Lyrics: Some songs contain mildly suggestive lyrics (e.g. Sweet Devil's "I'm showing too much cleavage? You know you like it"). This did not have much of an impact on the rating, however, since all the songs are mostly sung in Japanese (and the subtitles are in Romaji writing).

Mild Violence: Tokyo Teddy Bear showed a silhouetted Rin being impaled by a large sewing needle (this is the first game to depict any form of violence). Also, while never pointed out by the ESRB, some songs such as Secret Police also have lyrics that suggests violence.

Suggestive Themes: The main reason for this rating, some scenes depict some of the girls dancing provocatively (e.g. Eh? Ah, Sou), and, more noticably, some of Luka's and MEIKO's costumes are considerably revealing or provocative. MEIKO's Blue Crystal module especially sparked this reason, due to the costume having her chest covered solely by two belts. Also, while never pointed out by the ESRB, Luka's, MEIKO's, Miku's (depending on her movements and/or costume) and Rin's (in her Future Style module) chest would bounce when they moved, likely due to the game's extended physics.

This is first appearance of KAITO & MEIKO in the opening cinematic. (not counting the Project mirai sub-series' opening)

It is also first time that the opening cinematic features all of the Vocaloid characters from the game (excluding Sakine Meiko & DLC Characters).

This is the first game in the main series where the opening doesn't show Miku at school, let alone wearing her school clothes, and the second game overall to not do so, the first being Project mirai. Project mirai 2 and -Project DIVA- F2nd also continues to not show Miku at school.

In the PV of Remote Control, the Kagamines are playing with a SEGA Dreamcast (the last console made by SEGA before the company's departure from the console hardware business).

When using the room theme called 393 Quest F on any characters's room (including the DLC characters's room), there's a sign between the bed and the TV to the right that switches text on the bottom. It will eventually shows the sign saying "Thank you Miku! But our Diva is in another stage!". It is a resemble to "Thank you Mario! But our Princess is in another castle!" that Toad is saying after being rescued by Mario or Luigi in Bowser's castle from World 1 to World 7 from the Super Mario Bros. series.

The Live Studio/AR Live Mode in this game is based on the mini-concert, DAIBA de DIVA at Joypolis in Tokyo, Japan in which took place from July 11th, 2012 to July 14th, 2012.